


If I should smile with sweet surprise

by softlass27



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Fix-It, Fluff, M/M, Robert Sugden's Birthday, Tiny bit of Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:55:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23771182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softlass27/pseuds/softlass27
Summary: It was no secret that of the two of them, Robert was the romantic one, the one who did the cheesy, over-the-top gestures to show his love.Until today. Today it was Robert’s 34th birthday, and after the year they'd had, Aaron was going to sweep his husband off his feet if it killed him.
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Comments: 12
Kudos: 95





	If I should smile with sweet surprise

**Author's Note:**

> I started thinking about Robert spending his birthday this year alone in a prison cell and it made me sad. So I decided to fix it with pure fluff and self-indulgence.
> 
> No prison, no bloody Posners, Seb back with his dads where he belongs :')

It was no secret to anyone who knew Aaron and Robert, that of the two of them, Robert was the romantic one. He was the type of person who got a thrill out of making grand gestures – surprise trips away, home-cooked dinners by candlelight, too-expensive gifts that he’d bought just because _I saw it and thought of you._

It took Aaron a while to get used to being with someone like Robert, but now that they were married and _solid_ , he’d come to love the gestures, he really had. It was just, well, he never knew how to make them in return. He’d never been the particularly romantic sort, never thought he’d want to be, either. Sure, he’d booked them the odd night away, and he always tried to make sure he got Robert thoughtful Christmas and anniversary presents. But showy, full-blown declarations of love? Apart from one cold night in February when Aaron had shown up on Robert’s doorstep, determined to get his husband back, it just wasn’t his thing.

The odd time he’d hesitantly brought it up with Robert over the years, feelings of insecurity and of _not being enough_ rearing its ugly head, Robert just smiled and said he didn’t mind, he spoiled Aaron because he enjoyed doing it, not because he expected something in return. 

“You enjoy showing off, more like,” Aaron had scoffed, though something warm settled in his chest at the reassurance.

Robert just shrugged a shoulder at him and said there were plenty of things Aaron did for him – things that no one else had ever done before. Like always making his tea exactly the way he liked it, like knowing to buy his favourite chocolate after a rubbish day, like letting Robert lay his head in his lap and stroking his hair when he’d given himself a headache by staring at the computer screen for too long.

Like listening to him talk about his favourite memories of his mum, asking him questions about the kinds of food she used to cook and what her favourite songs were. Like letting him rant about Jack and Andy and the misery of his teenage years, without telling him he was overreacting.

So that was the way it was. Robert did the cheesy, over-the-top gestures of love and Aaron accepted them with a kiss and an _I love you._

Until today.

Today, it was Robert’s 34th birthday and Aaron was going to sweep his husband off his feet if it killed him.

He deserved it after everything they’d been through in the last twelve months. They’d thought nothing could be worse than what had happened to Victoria only days after Robert’s last birthday. Then just as Lee Posner had crawled back into whatever dark hole he’d come from and she’d begun to turn a corner, they were hit with another bombshell.

One day in early September, Aaron dropped Seb off in Liverpool to find Rebecca had nipped to the shops and Ross was acting strangely. Despite Ross’s protests, Aaron stuck around until Rebecca got back, making small talk with him and watching him carefully. By the time he got back in the car, he’d seen enough. He knew the signs, Ross was definitely on something. Maybe cocaine, maybe spice, maybe something else entirely. It didn’t make much difference to him either way; Ross was on drugs when he was meant to be responsible for Aaron’s stepson, and he was not having it.

Aaron had broken several speed limits on his way home and wasted no time telling Robert as soon as he walked through the door. They’d already been concerned that Rebecca couldn’t seem to keep a nanny around for longer than a few weeks at a time, and it wasn’t like her brain injury had just disappeared in the last year. If anything, she seemed to be deteriorating some days. And if Ross – the one who was meant to be keeping her right – was high on god knows what, then there was no way in hell Seb was staying with them.

Although they were both tempted to go charging through Ross and Rebecca’s door and grab Seb there and then, they held back. Rebecca had threatened them with legal action before, and if they tried anything, she’d wouldn't hesitate to do it again. They had to be smart about it. 

A few days later, Robert popped round to their place unannounced, having supposedly been “in the neighbourhood”, so he could get a good look at Ross for himself. It didn't take more than a few minutes for him to agree with Aaron's suspicions. The next time they dropped Seb off, they made sure to do it while only Rebecca was home and they stuck around for a coffee. Robert distracted her while Aaron snuck upstairs and rooted through Ross’s stuff until he found a stash of white powder, snapping a photo with his phone. 

Robert had Ross followed by a private investigator, who eventually confirmed that not only was Ross buying drugs, he was dealing them, too. The private investigator also told them – with more than a little concern – that on one occasion he’d seen Ross and Rebecca briefly leave Seb alone in the house.

It had taken endless meetings with lawyers and social services, gathering evidence and providing character witnesses from everyone from Aaron’s therapist to Nicola (who was more than happy to throw her weight around as local councillor on their behalf). As the days and weeks passed, Robert was out of his mind with worry, not to mention guilt for having let Ross and Rebecca take Seb in the first place. He barely slept and only ate when Aaron forced him to, exhausting himself to the point of Aaron being terrified that he’d have another seizure.

The wait was agonising, but after what felt like an eternity of hardly daring to hope, Seb was released into their custody and back at the Mill by Christmas, with arrangements for Rebecca to see him under supervised visits in the new year. At first, Seb was a little withdrawn and confused by the disruption, but Aaron and Robert both showered him with as many cuddles and presents as they could, and he soon perked up. It was the best Christmas Aaron could remember having.

The first few months of 2020 had passed quickly and quietly, with most of their time spent making sure Seb settled in properly, and helping Victoria with her new baby boy, Harry. Not to mention catching up on all the work they’d both put on the back burner recently.  But now, things were getting back to a new kind of normal. Seb was his happy self once again and getting into mischief at every opportunity, while Vic was regularly seeing a counsellor and taking motherhood in her stride. Things weren’t perfect, but they were getting there.

Now it was Robert’s birthday, and this year Aaron was going to treat him, dammit.

He entered their bedroom with a tray full of Robert’s favourite breakfast foods and set it down carefully before carding a hand through Robert’s sleep-mussed hair. “Hey, birthday boy.”

Robert’s mouth quirked in a half-smile before his eyes even opened. “Mornin’.”

Aaron leaned down and gave him light peck, but before he could sit up Robert slung his arms around his neck and yanked him down again, suddenly much more awake. “Oi, it’s my birthday, gimme a proper snog.” 

Aaron rolled his eyes but didn’t resist, pressing his mouth to Robert’s and sliding his tongue past his lips, kissing him slowly and deeply until they were both gasping for breath. He eventually pulled away, laughing when Robert tried to chase his mouth with his own. “I made you breakfast, eat it before it gets cold.”

Robert gave a put-upon sigh but let him go, tucking into his plate of fresh fruit and pastries, occasionally letting Aaron steal a bite. 

“Is Seb up yet?” He asked, sucking juice off his fingers.

“Nah, we’ve probably got a while. He’s dead excited to give you his card, though. He’s drawn what I can only guess is either a cow or a train, I’m not sure which but it’s very good.”

Robert laughed and relaxed back into the pillows, sipping his coffee. At least he was relaxed until he noticed Aaron fidgeting next to him, shifting on his side of the bed and tapping his hands against the duvet. “You alright over there?”

“Yeah, why?”

“You’re a bit… twitchy. Are you – ”

“Do you want your present now?” Aaron cut him off, unable to wait any longer.

Robert smirked and set his mug down. “Go on, then.”

Aaron reached over to his bedside table, pulling an envelope out of the drawer and passing it over. Robert waited for a moment to see if anything else would follow, but Aaron just shoved the drawer closed and turned back to him. Robert blinked at the envelope. “Did you… get me a voucher?”

“Did I – _no_ I didn’t get you a voucher, you idiot. I’m not that bad of a husband.”

“Well I don’t know about – ow don’t _hit_ me it’s my birthday – of course you’re not, you’re a brilliant husband. Amazing. Stupendous.”

“Would you just open your bloody present, please?” 

Robert tore open the envelope and pulled the contents out, while Aaron pressed a fist to his mouth in order to hide the grin that was threatening to break across his face. He watched Robert’s face change as he took in the tickets and brochure, his jaw dropping as he looked at Aaron with wide eyes.

“No.”

“Yep.”

“ _No._ ”

“Yep.”

“Seriously?!” Robert held up tickets for flights to Iceland, due to depart the next day.

* * *

**_ May 2016 _ **

_ “Oh my God, Ibiza, really?” Robert groaned. “You’re such a lad.” _

_ “And you’re such a snob, there’s nout wrong with Ibiza.” _

_It was after midnight and they were lounging in Aaron’s room at the pub, chatting about everything and nothing. It had only been a couple of weeks since they’d decided to give_ them _a proper shot, and although they’d already been through hell and back together, it still felt pretty new. They might have the, well,_ physical _ side of things down, but they’d realised there was still a hell of a lot they didn’t know about each other. _

_ So most nights, when everyone else was asleep, they talked. Which was how they’d come to this particular argument. _

_ “Okay whatever, just don’t expect me to go there with you. Ever.” _

_ “Pfft, I wouldn’t want you there anyway, you killjoy, “ said Aaron, though his smile took the sting out of it. _

_ “Alright, where else would you want to go? Any dream destinations?” _

_ Aaron thought for a moment. “I’d like to go to Vegas one day.” _

_ “Yeah?” _

_ “Yeah, all the casinos, the shows, the fireworks. It looks amazin’. Maybe even see the Grand Canyon, too, that’d be mint.” _

_ “Hmm, noted,” said Robert, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. _

_ “What about you?” Aaron poked him. “Anything on the bucket list?” _

_ Robert shrugged. “Dunno. I like city breaks, mostly. Paris, Rome, that sort of thing.  _ Barcelona _,” he said, raising his eyebrows playfully. _

_ Aaron winced, still feeling guilty about bailing on their trip. He pressed a kiss to the side of Robert’s head. “Sorry again. We will go, promise.” _

_ “S’fine, I told you not to worry about it. But yeah, apart from that I wouldn’t mind holing up in a villa somewhere warm with you. Doesn’t matter where. Sun, pool, sex, what’s not to like?” _

_ “Sounds nice,” said Aaron. _

_ They lay there in comfortable silence. Aaron was close to drifting off when –  _

_ “Northern Lights.” _

_ Aaron’s eyes opened to see Robert looking at him with a sleepy smile. “Hmm?” _

_ “I’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights.” _

_ “Yeah?” _

_ “Ever since I was a kid. I saw this tv programme about them, used to think they were magic. I don’t now,  _ obviously _, but yeah. Would love to actually see them someday.” _

_ His eyes fell shut, and Aaron's followed soon after. _

* * *

“Vic’s gonna bring Harry here and help Liv look after Seb while we’re gone. Or he can have a sleepover at hers, or with Moira and Isaac, whichever he prefers. But starting tomorrow it’s just you and me, five days, and – hopefully – some magic lights in the sky.”

Robert stared at him for a moment before running his thumb over the printed words on the ticket. “I can’t believe you remembered.”

“I do listen, you know.”

“I know but I told you that _years_ ago.”

“I mean, I can’t guarantee we’ll actually see the lights,” said Aaron. “But I checked the weather and it’s supposed to be clear skies for the next week, so fingers crossed.” He pulled the hotel brochure towards them. “And if not, we can still go in the hot springs and nice restaurants, and our room’s dead fancy, got a log fire and everythi – mmf!”

Robert pounced, pressing a hard kiss to Aaron’s lips, then when his grin caused him to break it he pressed more over as many parts of his face as he could reach. He bumped his forehead against Aaron’s, eyes sparkling.

“You got me the _Northern Lights_ for my birthday,” he laughed like he couldn’t believe it.

“Told you I’m a good husband.”

“You are. The best husband I’ve ever had.”

Aaron’s reply was cut off by the deafening cry of “Daaaaaddy!” coming from down the hall. He shoved Robert back with a sigh and pushed himself out of the bed. “Better not keep his lordship waiting. There’s still presents to open and then we need to be at the Woolpack by noon, before Diane comes looking again."

He was about to head out the door when Robert caught his hand and pulled him back until they were pressed tightly together. He cupped Aaron’s jaw and kissed him one more time.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Aaron pressed a thumb on the crinkles around Robert's left eye. “And I think 34 is gonna be your year.”

“Yeah?”

“Mm-hm. Just a feeling.”

“Well it’s looking that way so far,” said Robert, his smile suddenly turning slightly bashful. "No one’s ever done anything like this for me before. Thank you.”

God, Aaron was gone on him. “You deserve it, you daft sod.”

Three days later, Aaron watched Robert gaze up with delight at the bright streaks of light stretching across the dark sky. As they took in the brilliant colours, he grabbed Aaron’s hand tightly and whispered that they were even better than he’d imagined. He was so absorbed in what he was seeing, he didn’t notice Aaron grinning smugly to himself.

He was a romantic bastard.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, according to Google, the Northern Lights *technically* aren't meant to be around by late April, but meh, they are now. My story, my rules, I'll be taking no further questions at this time.


End file.
